Resolving complaints

Resolving complaints

Sorting out consumer complaints before they get to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman, or at an early stage in our process, is good for your consumers, and reduces your Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman fees. We recommend:

keeping the consumer up to date with the progress of the complaint

trying to resolve a new complaint as quickly as possible

writing a letter to the consumer if they are not satisfied with the resolution you have offered, and clearly explaining your reasoning

avoiding the use of technical jargon with consumers and Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman officers, since the customers may receive a copy of any correspondence you send to us

clearly explaining how you think the complaint should be resolved, even if it is different than the one proposed by the consumer. Offering a resolution does not mean that you are at fault, but is an opportunity for you to reconcile with the consumer and quickly end the complaint.

Non-response to Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman complaints or communications, failure to act, or evasive or obstructive conduct potentially demonstrates non-compliance with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman scheme. We refer non-compliant organisations to the ACMA, and publish information about the organisation’s non-compliance, in line with our complaint handling procedure CHP: Refusal to join or failure to comply with the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman Scheme.